Royal Romance Miniseries: Rules of the Royal House of Niroli
8 Comments July 13th, 2007 in miniseries, royalty Posted by Malleby Malle, Digital Team Member
More inside information from the editors about the Royal Romance miniseries in Harlequin Presents. Penny Jordan’s The Future King’s Pregnant Mistress, out this month, is followed by Melanie Milburne’s Surgeon Prince, Ordinary Wife in August.
From: The Rules of the Royal House of Niroli
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Rule 1: The ruler of Niroli must be a moral leader for the people and is bound to keep order in the Royal House. Any act which brings the monarchy into disrepute through immoral conduct or criminal activity will rule a contender out of the succession to the throne.
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Rule 2: No member of the Royal House may be joined in marriage without previous consent and approval of the ruler. Any marriage concluded against this rule implies exclusion from the house, deprivation of honours and privileges.
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Rule 6: The ruler directs the education of all the members of the Royal house, even when the general care of the education of children belongs to their parents.
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Rule 9: The ruler of Niroli must dedicate their life to the Kingdom. Therefore they are not permitted to have a profession.
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There is a reason why the Fierezza’s, and the House of Niroli, have remained the royal family of this island kingdom for so long. With social standing and tremendous power come responsibilities and duties that no commoner would ever be subject to. Dedication, determination and an adherence to ten rules of life have helped this family survive for hundreds of years.
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But what is it like to live a life where duty and destiny are intermingled?
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With a family motto “Always passionate, always proudâ€, it’s evident that adhering to these rules may not be as simple as it sounds.
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Is it possible that the principles and passions of the Niroli royal family will ever align?
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How much should leaders give up in order to set the proper example?
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Has anyone read The Future King’s Pregnant Mistress yet? What did you think?
I did read The Future King’s Pregnant Mistress last month. To be honest, I have to admit it wasn’t my favorite Presents ever. I never did come around to liking the hero and I actually hated the old King (the grandfather).
Of course, I know the King and his rules are what is supposed to inject all the drama into the series, but, in my opinion, I wouldn’t respect any leader that would actually follow the old guy’s rules.
The hero was unlikeable until the last 10-15 pages of the book, which was too late for me. Even worse, the heroine took too much poor treatment from the hero, so I didn’t like her either. The heroine spent three years of her life living with a man who doesn’t appear to have cared one jot about her except when they were in bed, which IMO, is too long. His response to her pregnancy was horrible also.
What I would have liked to happen is to have Emily first tell the Prince to take a hike back to Niroli and then go to the Greek Isles for a vacation where she would eventually meet up with one of those dishy millionaires that we keep reading about! Marco who?
I will keep reading the series to see what happens, hopefully that awful, old King will have a personality transplant, or failing that, a stroke!
Cheryl
“How much should leaders give up in order to set the proper example?”
Well, definitely not the woman they love!
Nor, indeed, should they sacrifice their own lives (ie, the happiness and personal purpose of them) just for being ruler of a country. There are always other people who can make good rulers and hey, maybe they could turn the place into a republic!!
I think what might keep a good man in an unhappy ruling position might be knowing that if they abdicated, the next in line would be a real wastrel, bad’un, and the good ruler might feel he had to stay ruler in order to keep the bad un out as if the bad un became ruler too many of their subjects would suffer.
And if, say, the ruler just happens to have a gift for a particular valued skill – whether its as a gifted artist or surgeon – then I’d say they have a duty to humanity to follow that gift, and abdicate if necessary. Again, assuming that the next in line would make a decent ruler themselves.
I am not reading the series. Based on the comments that I’ve read, I would have a hard time accepting the actions of these so called heroes. The thought of them trying to marry off their mistresses so that they could continue their relationship after they make a suitable marriage just makes me sick to my stomach.
This isn’t the regency era. And while I understand that this is about a fictional country I just don’t want to read the books. Many of the series books are written by authors that I love and I don’t want to “taint” my impression of their books by reading these. Therefore I’ll “abstain.”
Reading back through my comment, I have to apologize for my harsh tone, I shouldn’t have been so blunt.
I should have also added that I have read every book that Penny Jordan has published in North America (including the ones that aren’t Harlequins). And, that I always pick her books up whenever I see them without even bothering to read what they are about, because I know that I will like them (and I plan to continue to do so in the future).
Cheryl
One thing I love about Penny Jordan’s writing is that her characters, plots, etc are never samey or predictable but they all have the sensuality and the likeable heroine that’s the hallmark of Penny’s writing.
I read The Future King’s Pregnant Mistress and found it to be an intense, emotional, sensual read.
Sure the hero was outrageously alpha…but I love it when Presents’ heroes do and say outrageous things, don’t you? For me, it’s part of the appeal. At the same time, Penny does show right from the outset his mind’s internal workings, his childhood, what shaped him and the reader gets to see how much Emily means to him even if he doesn’t realise it…yet.
I liked Emily and thought she was sympathetic and could always understand why she acted as she did. One of the things I like about Penny’s books is that I can always empathise with the heroines.
This was an intense, emotional relationship drama, with the exotic Niroli backdrop and it made me cry at the end. The writer in me understood why I was crying, but it didn’t stop me doing so anyway
I was going to pick and choose which Niroli books I read according to my favourite authors…but now I just want the next one..and the next.
Sue
I think it’s really tricky for writers to write about royal romances, with all the rules their weddings/marriages entail. I remember watching a movie about the life of the 2nd wife, Princess Zoraya, of the Shah of Iran. The Shah of Iran had to separate from his 2nd wife (whom he loved so much) because she was barren, and also because the Princess Zoraya would rather divorce her one true love rather than agree to his plan of taking a 3rd wife to give him a son (to appease his country) while continuing their marriage. When royal responsibility calls, love really takes a back seat…
Olivia
I enjoyed reading the online short story of housekeeper bride and wondered if it is going to be a full length book.
I would buy it.
When I was young and first married, I thought it would be hard to be in a marriage where you had to share your husband with other wives. Then after 20 years of marriage, I thought it wouldn’t be so bad to have someone else put up with him for a while. Then he became ill and I would have given him anything he wanted, I loved him so. After he passed, I realized if you love someone, you will put up with or do things you don’t like for their sake. I think women who love men who have to produce an Heir and a spare accept their hero’s on any terms so they can at least have some of their time.
Live the discussion!